By Ken Morse, Citizen’s News
NAUGATUCK — The main objective for any team is to be playing its best at the end of the season.
Naugatuck head coach Peter Kovalski had his concerns when the season began as to how his group of golfers, most of them new to the sport, would fare out on the links.
Armed with just one senior, Ryan Hunt, and three juniors, Logan McKinney, Ethan Vicente and Tim Bristol, the Greyhounds have been playing some of their best golf of late as the season winds down.
“Some of these kids never touched a golf club six weeks ago,” Kovalski said. “So, I’m pleased with the progress we’ve made.”
The Greyhounds put their third match into the win column on May 18 with a 232-234 win over Seymour at Oxford Greens.
Hunt shot a season-best 46 and earned co-medalist honors for Naugy (3-8). The round marked the fourth time that Hunt broke into the 40s this season.
Sophomore Vin Ferrucci came in with a solid round of 56. McKinney shot a 64 and freshman Luke Deitelbaum had a 66.
Even in a 178-207 loss to Wolcott on May 19, the Greyhounds showed continued improvement as they shot their lowest score of the season.
Hunt led Naugy with a 45. McKinney finished with a 52 and Ferrucci tied his season-best with a 53. Deitelbaum shot a 57 — two strokes off his season-best.
“I told the kids everyone needs to try and put up their personal best in these last few matches,” Kovalski said. “I think it’s a good goal to shoot for and try and improve on where are weaknesses are.”
“I think the biggest place we can see improvement is in our putting,” he added. “If we can knock off a few of those extra putts we are taking, it can be a huge difference. A double bogey can turn into a par with some improvement in the putting game.”
Naugatuck is set to play Watertown at Hop Brook on May 26 and Torrington on June 1 at the Torrington Country Club to end the regular season.
The NVL championship is set for June 3 at the Watertown Country Club, but the format and which teams will be eligible to play were still being worked out.
“We still have two matches left on our schedule and I’m just trying to get the players to focus on playing better each time they get out there.”
